Thank you all so much for your positive feedback and Birthday wishes! I'll definitely try to make this story longer for you guys.
Chapter 2 is up :)
She was through to the second stage of training. It was a miracle. Well, she made it happen. She forced herself to succeed. She pushed herself to breaking point. And all the efforts definitely paid off. Yet, something in her chest clutches her heart. Sometimes she can't breathe. Others she can't eat.
And her gut tightens from the moment she wakes up. Always.
This kind of stress cannot be healthy for anyone. Nothing at Dauntless is healthy. Nothing since the Choosing Ceremony was healthy. Except maybe the sense of freedom.
Yesterday her mother showed up. They exchanged a few words. She was Divergent and her mother knew. But she still doesn't know what it actually means. She is in danger, that's certain. But why? What is she? Who is she?
On top of that, Tris has her mentality tests tomorrow. She overheard Max earlier in the compound. Something about a simulation and fears. Great.
The only light at the end of the tunnel is completing these stages and not getting killed by leadership. Shouldn't be too hard. She just has to keep herself to herself. Be Dauntless. Not Divergent.
Her grunts echo through the training room. It reminds her of a greenhouse... without plants or humidity. And a whole lot of space. So much space. The sun casts a beam near her feet through the triangle ceiling. It's the only light she can focus on. The rest of the room is dimly lit with blue lamps. And they cannot carry the brightness for long. So it's pretty dark for an afternoon.
The red punching bag in front of her seems to have clear dents. When she first came here she couldn't even shift it. And now the punching bag has earned its name. Her knuckles seem to bruise every time she uses them in a violent manner. But she has no choice. Fight or flight. Dauntless is always fight.
Soon enough, her panting starts to burn her throat and she stops. Her skin has been heating up for a while, and the perspiration that has collected on her forehead makes it seem hotter than it is. She leans forward and presses her head against the rubber material, her hands on either side of the bag.
Without any lead up or warning, a door squeaks and slams in the distance. Tris looks up to the nearest exit sign (which is about 30 yards away) and sees a broad figure making its way towards her. It is a man. And by how fast he strides, she can tell that he is not happy.
"Initiate!" Eric's voice shakes the walls.
Just what she needed.
Tris steps away from the punching bag gingerly and folds her hands in front of her. As he gets closer, she sees the dangerous glare he almost always has. It doesn't surprise her. But this glare is different. And that sparks a new fear.
"Who said you were allowed to be here?" he barks, taking off his jacket and tossing it onto a mat on the floor. She jumps back. He is getting ready for something.
"I thought," she pauses, looking up at him with wide eyes. Eric folds his arms and sighs deeply. So he is expecting an answer. Tris gulps quietly before opening her mouth, "I thought I could practice-"
"You're on second stages of training!" his voice fills the entire building. Just as she thought. What is the point of answering his questions if he doesn't allow it? It makes her slightly frustrated.
She stares at him for a while longer before taking a deep breath, "I don't want to get weaker."
"You're already weak," Eric spits, "It's a wonder how you even made it this far."
She rolls her eyes when he turns away to look at the ceiling. Surely a LEADER should always be motivating. It seems that Eric always has rules of his own.
Tris jumps from foot to foot uncomfortably, glancing over her shoulder. She has had enough physical activity today. She has to leave. Especially now that Eric turned up. She has to leave as soon as possible.
"Do you think I forgot about your little stunt before 'Capture the Flag'?" he pipes up suddenly, tilting his chin upwards. Err... what does that have to do with anything?
She shakes her head slowly, unsure of how he will react. He laughs.
"Nobody bends the rules except from me," for the first time she notices the thick veins bulging out of his biceps. They trail down his forearms and end behind his knuckles. It seems that his blood is too hot for his body. Subconsciously, her hand rubs at her wrist. Thank god her veins are not nearly as monstrous.
He flexes his muscles, a hidden bulge swimming underneath his skin. There is not a soft spot in sight. Even his cheeks seem firm. Being at Dauntless for two years must do wonders to the body.
"I'm... not going to apologize if that's what you're after," Tris says quietly, glancing down at the floor. Thankfully it doesn't tip Eric over the edge.
"I wouldn't expect you to," his smirk widens, eyes as hard as stone, "But I need to make sure you understand."
She releases a shaky breath, clueless as to what he might be thinking. When all of a sudden, his actions speak louder than words. He turns around and steps up onto a huge mat, where she knows all fights have taken place. She steps back again. He doesn't mean...?
"C'mon, initiate," he grumbles, turning to face her again, "Since you've been practicing so much."
Tris gapes at him for a minute, watching as he twists his neck from side to side. He cannot be serious. Fighting a leader is unfair and not to mention against the rules. Plus, it's Eric. He would kill her with one punch. She knows her answer before he can open his mouth again.
"No," the confidence in her voice surprises her. And it surprises Eric even more.
He raises his eyebrows, piercings shooting up his skin, "No?"
Her voice dries up in her throat and she freezes like a statue, wondering if this will bite her in the ass later on.
"Are you afraid?" his vocal cords shake with rage. Why does he hate her so much?
She doesn't know what to say. She is afraid. Afraid that she won't live to see the sunset.
"I asked you a question!"
She can't say yes because he would cut her. She can't say no because that would be lying. And she is delaying her answer. So even if she did say no, he would be able to see the truth.
"I'm..." her voice trembles, "I'm not fighting you."
"What did I say about bending the rules?" They don't break eye contact as he cracks his knuckles. What choice does she have here, really? Fight Eric and die... Not fight Eric and become Factionless.
Where is Four when you need him?
Tris moves closer to the mat, watching her feet make slow and painful steps. Maybe there is time to turn and run away? But that would look ridiculous. Not an option.
Perhaps she could beat Eric. There is less than a one percent chance but... it's not impossible.
She shakes her head and steps up in front of him, finding how satisfied he is judging by how his smile continues growing.
"Remember what I taught you," he starts, bringing his fists up to his face. They look bigger than her head. She does the same.
Her eyes glance down to his boots. Great. He could literally stomp on her head and make a brain puddle. Luckily for her, she is also wearing footwear. Not everything is unfair. Even though most things are.
He makes his move first.
A sharp whoosh is loud near her ear as he throws his fist forward and she dodges quickly. He is not wasting any time, is he? He just wants to kill her. That is the truth.
Another fist comes whizzing towards her. Another dodge. Eric releases a cruel laugh.
"Come on, Stiff. You're fast. But not that fast."
He throws another punch and this time it connects with her shoulder. Well, at least she ducked her face away in time. She can handle a sore shoulder.
BAM!
Her head jerks backwards as the pain spreads through her chin. She yelps loudly, grabbing hold of it. It will bruise.
She scatters away from him before they make contact again and takes the time to look into his eyes. Glazed over with rage. Wide pupils. And not a hint of sympathy. Figures.
Her eyebrows furrow in an attempt to show him how unreasonable is is being. And Eric grins.
"Ready to give up?"
"Not a chance," she tenses her shoulders and runs towards him in an attempt to catch him off guard. Obviously, she fails. She manages to throw in a kick to the ribs, and it seems to hurt him slightly, but then her hips and grabbed and raised in the air, and within a few seconds she lands on the farthest corner of the mat, "Agh!"
Get up. Getupgetup.
She springs up on her feet. But she is not fast enough. The force of his next punch to the chest sends her back down where she started. The bottom.
The pain blurs her vision. It could be that. Or it could be the tears collecting in her eyes.
"I told you that you were fucking weak," he growls, getting down on his knees next to her. Automatically, she curls up into a ball and covers her face with her hands. But the place she leaves unprotected is her neck. He clutches it with his hand, lifting her head up from the floor and to his face.
"P-Please," she chokes, unable to hide her fear any longer, "Don't."
"Aw, don't worry about me hurting you," his hand tightens, "What you have to worry about the most is how you will hide the embarrassment on your face when I send you down to the Factionless." He doesn't mean that. Empty threats.
"I can't breathe," she chokes out, gasping through the tears.
"Shh," Eric smiles, wiping her cheeks with his thumb, "Now listen to me carefully," he leans in closer, "You tell your boyfriend to stay the fuck away from you-"
"I don't have a b-"
"-tell him I know everything about what he does to get you higher up in the rankings."
She is clueless to what he is talking about. For a moment she wonders if he is talking to the right person. Rankings? She plays fair. And she does not have a boyfriend.
"Don't worry, I will report his pedophilia and then you don't have to sleep with anyone to make it to the top of the leaderboard-"
"What are you talking about?!" She has absolutely no idea.
His grip loosens and she takes advantage by taking a deep breath, "It's okay. The game is fair now."
This is bigger than her. He is out to get someone else. And he is using her.
She is certain of that when Eric straightens up and shoots a dazzling smile to one of the security cameras.
Dun dun dunnnnn!
I promise this is the most cruel he will be in the story. Eventual Eris and that, after all...
Please review and tell me what you think! Are you confused? Do you have any idea what Eric was talking about?
I promise it will all be clear!